News Release

Friday, January 12, 2001

LAPD Appreciates Mexican Consulate's Cooperation

Los Angeles - On September 14, 1997, victim Antonio Trujillo was shot and killed in the Harbor Area of Los Angeles. The suspects’ though identified eluded arrest. The resulting investigation led investigators to Jalisco, Mexico where the suspect’s were believed to have sought refuge. Under the existing extradition treaty between Mexico and the United States, neither country is obligated to return their citizens to the requesting country. However, under Mexican Penal Code Law, Mexico can prosecute its citizens for crimes committed abroad.

Using established cooperative contacts with Mexican police and the continued support of the Federal Legal Attaché for Mexico, Licenciado Jorge Garcia Villabobos Haddad in Los Angeles, the investigation began to focus on Mexico. On September 30, 1999, Detective Support Division (DSD) Fugitive Warrant Division (FWS) Foreign Prosecution/Interpol Liaison Unit (FPLU) and Robbery Homicide (RHD) detectives filed domestic prosecution charges against the suspect’s in Mexico. The Third District Court Judge based in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, reviewed the case and subsequently issued Mexican Murder warrants for both suspects’.

On Friday, January 26, 2001, LAPD detectives met with the Mexican Legal Attaché in Los Angeles and again requested the direct intervention of Mexican Law Enforcement in this investigation. On Wednesday, January 30, after receiving updated information on the suspect’s location in Mexico, Mexican federal officers conducted an arrest operation in the area of San Juan De Los Lagos in the Mexican State of Jalisco. Federal officers located and arrested both suspects at different ranches in the surrounding area and transported them to the city of Guadalajara where they will be arraigned before the Third District Court Judge.

The Los Angeles Police Department wishes to express their deepest appreciation to the Mexican Government, Mexican Federal Law Enforcement and the Legal Attaché in Los Angeles for their continued professional support to the LAPD and the City of Los Angeles, which ultimately brought justice to this victim of violent crime. Cooperation between our respective law enforcement agencies continues to yield arrests of violent fugitive’s on both sides of the International border.